Fujimi jolted awake, heart pounding. For a brief, beautiful moment, he thought the strange Gacha world had all been just a crazy dream. But as his eyes adjusted to the morning light, his heart sank. The futuristic gadgets, holograms, and high-tech bodysuit still surrounded him.
“No no no, this can’t be real!” Fujimi exclaimed, clutching his throbbing head. Had he lost his mind? Was he trapped in some coma-induced hallucination? This makes no logical sense!
Fujimi frantically pinched his arms, splashed cold water on his face, and even gave himself a few sharp slaps, hoping the pain would snap him back to reality. But no, the bizarre world persisted obstinately.
With dawning horror, Fujimi realized he would have to face this inexplicable day, just as bewildering and nonsensical as the one before. The thought made panic rise in his throat like bile.
“I must be going insane,” Fujimi muttered, staring at his unfamiliar reflection in the mirror. “That’s the only rational explanation.”
But deep down, he knew rationality had nothing to do with it. Somehow, impossibly, he was trapped here, in a future so advanced it may as well have been an alien planet.
Hyperventilating, Fujimi rushed out the door, ignoring his mother’s concerned questions. He had to escape! Out on the street, the fresh air helped calm him, but only a bit. All around him, people walked, talked, and laughed like everything was normal. Like they hadn’t woken up over a century in their own future.
Fujimi shook his head in overwhelmed disbelief. How could they not see how utterly bizarre, how logically impossible all this was? Holograms, flying cars, robots…it was all so absurd!
Lost in frantic denial, Fujimi wandered aimlessly, muttering to himself. He found himself in Leho City Center, surrounded by towering holographic billboards. The flashing slogans felt like mocking gibberish.
“Come spin the wheel of destiny!” one declared in bold text. “Win big with Gacha!”
Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.
“There is no destiny or winning!” Fujimi yelled bitterly to the heavens. “This world makes no sense!”
Nearby pedestrians edged away, unnerved by the outburst. But Fujimi didn’t care. He felt like he was losing his grip on reality. And he desperately needed something - anything - familiar to cling to.
Spying a transit pod station, Fujimi rushed toward it, pushing through the crowd. To his immense relief, the system map looked the same as the trains he remembered. Without thinking, he boarded a pod bound for Galeo Prep.
The school grounds too were reassuringly familiar…until he noticed the levitating bikes, AI companions, and other impossibilities. Overwhelmed again, Fujimi slumped down against a wall, head in hands.
I must be going crazy, he thought. There’s no logical way to explain any of this. I just want to go home!
“Fujimi?” came a hesitant voice. He looked up to see Miku, her face etched with concern. “Are you okay? I was worried when you didn’t show up for class.”
Fujimi laughed bitterly. “No Miku, I’m pretty far from okay. Don’t you see? This whole world is insane!” He gestured wildly around them.
Miku blinked, confused. “Um, it’s just regular old Galeo Prep. Did you hit your head or something?”
Fujimi groaned and jumped to his feet. Of course she didn’t understand. How could anyone here grasp how impossibly wrong all this was? Without another word, he turned and ran.
Blindly he careened through the city streets, no destination in mind, just a desperate bid to escape the madness threatening to engulf him. When finally he collapsed, exhausted, he found himself in Leho Park.
The familiar trees and paths comforted him slightly. He slumped against an oak, finally letting the full weight of the truth settle over him like a suffocating blanket.
This world, as unreal as it seemed, was all he had now. There would be no waking from the dream. He was stuck here, over a century in his own bizarre future.
Fujimi sighed, feeling suddenly drained. He had to accept that yesterday’s mystical encounter with Rheon had somehow catapulted him here, into this unfathomable but inescapable reality.
For better or worse, this world was his life now. And fighting against the truth was only driving him insane. As much as he longed to understand, Fujimi knew he must adapt first…or lose his grip on reality altogether.
The realization brought profound sadness, but also relief. The resistance had exhausted him. Only by opening his mind could he hope to unravel the impossible mysteries that lay ahead.
As the sun set, Fujimi made his way home through unfamiliar streets that were somehow still nostalgically familiar. He knew the coming days would challenge everything he thought he knew about logic and reality. But he could no longer hide from the truth. A new world awaited him. And he would need to face it with open eyes.